


Boys

by editoress



Category: Tales of Arcadia (Cartoons)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-02
Updated: 2019-09-02
Packaged: 2020-10-05 14:42:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 580
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20490554
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/editoress/pseuds/editoress
Summary: Brothers have a way of making even questionable interspecies transformations better. Quick AU scene set in season three.





	Boys

Draal circled him on all fours, snorting softly to himself as he looked the trollhunter up and down. Jim looked unnerved by the whole business, but no more so than he had been for the past twelve or so hours.

Blinky couldn’t help but notice that after shoving the boy across the yard a few times, Argh had lost his delighted air. He looked deep in thought, a rare and ominous state for him, even more so than it was for Draal. Blinky leaned over and spoke quietly so as not to interrupt Jim’s personal guardian. "Argh, I thought you liked this development.“

"Taken,” Argh said with a laudable attempt at quiet. He gestured as though putting something together. "Made. Like… changelings.“

A fate Argh himself had only narrowly avoided by his sheer strength and usefulness. Blinky patted his friend on the arm and watched Draal finally stop in front of Jim. With the granite blue, the horns, and the tusked jaws, they could have been half brothers. "This was to make you stronger?” Draal asked finally. "Nothing more?“

"Uh,” said Jim.

“I’m asking if it changed your heart, trollhunter,” Draal said impatiently.

“Aw, that’s romantic,” Tobias stage-whispered. He yelped and ducked a thrown lawn ornament.

“Because if it did,” Draal growled, “we _will _have to find another trollhunter.”

“I… I think I’m still me?” Jim said, but he said it so quietly that Blinky nearly felt his own heart crack. Jim was looking up at Draal as though hoping he’d confirm it.

Draal grunted, and his shoulders sloped to a less aggressive angle. At last he decided gruffly, “I’m not certain it made you stronger, either.” He poked Jim’s chest. "You’re still puny.“

"Hey!” Jim shoved back—and Draal stumbled back a step.

For an instant, they wore matched expressions of surprise. And then Draal’s face split into a broad, mischievous grin. He got out half a low laugh before Jim lunged forward to push him with both hands.

Draal rolled once and came to his feet. He was the picture of warrior’s delight, bristling with competitive challenge and rowdy energy. He charged as soon as he had the room. Jim caught him by the horns, and while he couldn’t hold his ground, neither was he toppled immediately as he would have been before his transformation. He wrenched Draal to the side and jumped on him with a boyish shout.

“Watch the crape myrtle,” Barbara called, but her heart wasn’t really in it. She was watching in bemused wonder as the two trolls chased each other across the yard, wrestling and laughing like pebbles. Blinky felt confident she was caught up in the same thing he was: that this was the first time young Jim had seemed well and truly happy in a long while.

“That didn’t even hurt!” Jim popped effortlessly to his feet after what would have been a stunning blow. He looked down at himself and then up again. "Blinky! That didn’t even hurt.“

"Too much talking!” Draal scolded, swatting at him. "You’re distracting yourself from the battle!“

"Distract this!” Jim caught Draal under the chin with his horns and darted away again before the larger troll could retaliate, laughing. Draal thundered after him with equal enthusiasm and knocked half the branches off the crape myrtle.

Stricklander winced. Barbara just sighed. "Well, it’s not the first time I’ve had property damage.“ She gave Jim a lopsided smile as he romped around the yard. "I’ll take it.”


End file.
